I hurried from my car, sloshing through the wet parking lot. I pulled my coat up and rubbed my freezing hands together. I had science class, and Mike had told me he would walk me to class, just so I didn't get lost or anything. I had agreed.

As I entered the class full of people, everybody's attention seemed to shift right to me. All of the seats were full except for one next to the Cullen guy, Edward, and one next to Jessica. Mike took the chair next to Jessica and I headed down the aisle toward Edward. Suddenly his golden eyes became fierce. He looked in pain and he started to rock back in forth a little bit as he gripped the table with his strong, pale hands. I slowed down, suddenly afraid of him. He slid his chair as far away from me as he possibly could, and I smelled myself just to make sure I didn't smell bad.

His eyes scared me, and I shook out my hair so it blocked me from him. The teacher turned on a video, and we watched in silence, Edward as far away from me as space would allow. Every once in a while I would peek up at him through my hair and catch him watching me out of the corner of his eye. He would look away.

Halfway through the movie, he started looking frustrated. Then he went back to looking sick. He would grip the table and rock himself a little bit. I scooted my chair away from him and waited in silence as the video dragged on and on. I tried to pay attention to the video but honestly I didn't care about it. All I cared about was Edward, and why he hated me so much. I didn't understand.

After that first encounter with Edward, I decided to stay away from him. I asked Jessica if she would switch seats with me, and she eagerly agreed. I guess she's never been socially shunned from her science seat.

When I went to science class the next day, Edward wasn't there. Figures.

So I sat next to Mike, whom I ignored, because, he obviously tried too hard. I felt bad, though. So sometimes I'd talk to him; and when I did he seemed to enjoy it entirely too much. So I tried to keep my distance.

Instead of focusing on my social life, I focused on my schoolwork. I developed a skill that I actually enjoyed. I started not caring what other people thought about me. I joined peer tutoring, the science fair, and the drama club, where I met a few friends, but not very close ones.

I sat alone at the lunch table, and started doing my homework instead of watching television or hanging with friends, which I had none of. Books became my best friends. I lived by them. I also discovered a passion for star-gazing. I had an old telescope that I built in school when I was twelve, and I put it out on my balcony so I could look at the stars at night.

And despite not having any friends, I wasn't lonely. I was happy. I was happy with my books and my telescope.

My dad and I lived happily by ourselves. I hadn't heard from my mother in so long I almost forgot about her. I guess she was too busy traveling with her new husband to remember me; although I got an email about once every few months asking me if I had seen her husband on television the other night, or, if I had seen her and her husband on a commercial for gasoline or something. I ignored all of those emails. I called her every few months to say I was fine and other than that I never talked to her. Charlie and I did alright though; he taught me valuable life lessons, and he helped me when I was angry at my mother for forgetting me. He helped me forgive her, as he had done so many years ago when she had left him. I guess she was pretty good at leaving people.

Charlie and I got along well, and I didn't care that I didn't have good friends or a boyfriend or anything, I didn't mind at all. I was fine with Charlie, with my books, and my telescope. I had everything I needed.